Petraeus says he didn't share classified information with Broadwell

Just-resigned CIA Director David Petraeus says he will testify this week at congressional hearings looking into the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, as new details emerge about the emails that helped end his career. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.

By NBC News staff

Ex-CIA Director David Petraeus reportedly said in an interview that he did not share classified information with his biographer Paula Broadwell, the woman with whom he is said to have had an affair.

In a series of interviews with Kyra Phillips of Headline News, Petraeus also said his resignation as CIA director was not tied to his upcoming testimony on the attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans. He is due to testify Friday in closed-door Senate and House hearings, the first formal congressional inquiries into the September attack.

Petraeus’ comments, which came in a series of interviews with Phillips beginning last week, were first reported Thursday.

"In our first conversation," Phillips said, Petraeus "had told me he had engaged in something dishonorable. He sought to do the honorable thing in response -- and that was to come forward. He was very clear that he screwed up terribly ... even felt fortunate to have a wife who is far better than he deserves."

Petraeus told Phillips he had not spoken with Broadwell since the scandal broke.

"He insisted to me that he has never passed classified information to Paula Broadwell," Phillips said. "He said this has nothing to do with Benghazi, and he wants to testify. He will testify."

Defense officials told NBC News on Thursday that earlier this week, the FBI came to Army officials with material discovered in Broadwell’s emails and asked, “Is this real and is it classified?” After Army officials determined it was indeed classified material, the FBI launched a search of Broadwell’s North Carolina home, with her consent.

The Defense officials could not reveal the nature of the classified material.

On Wednesday, an Army official told NBC News that Broadwell had lost her security clearance.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Broadwell’s security clearance and access to classified material was suspended because of an address she gave to an alumni symposium on Oct. 26 at the University of Denver, which appeared on the video-sharing site YouTube. Broadwell holds a master's degree in international study from the school.

In the address, Broadwell talked about security at the consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

"Any time that the Army has a reason to believe that an officer has mishandled classified information, there is grounds for such action," the Army official said, referencing the YouTube clip.

Broadwell, a West Point graduate and former military intelligence officer, is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, though she is not currently on active duty, according to Pentagon records obtained by NBC News.

Multiple government and law enforcement officials have told NBC News that Petraeus, a retired four-star general who is married, had an extramarital affair with Broadwell, 40. Broadwell, who also married, authored “All In,” a book about Petraeus’ leadership philosophy.

FBI investigators who looked into a series of anonymous threatening emails sent to Tampa, Fla., socialite Jill Kelley later determined they were authored by Broadwell, multiple government and law enforcement officials have told NBC News.

Petraeus will testify Friday about the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi before the Senate Intelligence Committee after he briefs the House Intelligence Committee.